Today’s Headlines — 06/02/09
June 2, 2009By Andrew Bielak
- With revenue for federal transportation falling fast, lawmakers face a major challenges in funding the next transportation bill. (The Hill)
- The New York Times reviews a new book on how cyclists are altering the landscape of American cities.
- Southern Florida’s Tri-Rail system faces major cuts and the possibility of being completely shut down by 2011. (Miami Herald)
- A new study from the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Committee on Environmental Health shows sprawling development puts kids’ health at risk. (Virginian Pilot)
“The days where we’re just building sprawl forever, those days are over”
February 10, 2009By Stephen Lee Davis
UPDATED: Full transcript added to the bottom of this post. And this link to White House blog post added.
President Obama was back on the road today to garner support for the economic stimulus package that passed the Senate early Tuesday morning. He was speaking today at a town hall forum in Ft. Myers, Florida, and near the end of his hour-long session, a city councilwoman asked him about transportation and infrastructure in the stimulus.
Here’s how he responded:
It’s imagining new transportation systems. I’d like to see high speed rail where it can be constructed. I would like for us to invest in mass transit because potentially that’s energy efficient. And I think people are a lot more open now to thinking regionally…
The days where we’re just building sprawl forever, those days are over. I think that Republicans, Democrats, everybody… recognizes that’s not a smart way to design communities. So we should be using this money to help spur this sort of innovative thinking when it comes to transportation.
That will make a big difference.
Watch the full session from C-SPAN here. The section begins at around the 55 minute mark. If we can track it down, check back with us later for a more detailed transcript.
One way to ensure that we’re not throwing stimulus money into something whose “days are over” would be to ensure that highway funding in the stimulus goes first to reduce the massive backlog of desperately needed maintenance and repair before building new roads and highways. Which would steer funding into projects that can be bid quickly, will create more jobs than new construction, and won’t come with the hidden cost of future maintenance like new construction does.
Another smart use of stimulus money would be making sure that the bill maintains the House’s funding level of $12 billion for public transportation.
Look back here in the next day or two for more detailed information on weighing in and taking action while the bill is in conference committee. We’ll have a full breakdown of the differences between the two bills and which areas in each version should be supported.
Click through to see the full transcript, albeit with possible inaccuracies until we get an official one. Thanks to Jay Blazek Crossley of Houston Tomorrow for sending it over.
(Continue Reading)
Cut the Sprawl, Cut the Warming
October 7, 2008By Andrew Bielak
The New York Times editorial board applauds California’s passage of an anti-sprawl bill and urges other states to follow its lead.
Schwarzenegger signs greenhouse gas bill
October 2, 2008By Andrew Bielak
With a new bill signed on Tuesday by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, California’s planning agencies gain new ammo in the fight against sprawl, carbon emissions, and climate change. (Associated Press — Steve Lawrence)
The Bust Belt
September 22, 2008By Andrew Bielak
Ryan Avent examines how sprawling development in the Sun Belt is changing communities while perpetuating an increasingly unsustainable method of growth. (Beta Culture 11)
The Conservative Case for Urbanism
September 10, 2008By Andrew Bielak
Republicans in Minneapolis for their party’s convention sit down at the University of Minnesota to talk about our long history of subsidizing sprawl, the gravitational pull towards mass transit, and the need to develop a clear federal policy on transportation. (American Prospect — Dana Goldstein)
The Fraser Institute: “Smart Growth” Policies Increase Housing Costs and Worsen Congestion
September 4, 2008By Andrew Bielak
Cato Institute Senior Fellow Randal O’Toole attacks planners and smart growth, vilifies public transportation, and defends auto-centric development and sprawl in his new book. (Marketwire)
California Moves on Bill to Curb Sprawl and Emissions
August 29, 2008By Andrew Bielak
Bill in California to combat sprawl and climate change nears final approval. (New York Times — Felicity Barringer)
California bill attacks sprawl
August 28, 2008By Andrew Bielak
With California on the verge of approving landmark legislation to curb greenhouse gas emissions and sprawl with more compact development, the Los Angeles Times urges Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to pick up his pen and make it official.
Highways Paved With Gold
July 31, 2008By Andrew Bielak
Slate’s Daniel Gross notes that while anti-transit advocates habitually decry government funding of public transportation, they gloss over the billions in subsidies provided for highways.
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- U.S. Transportation Department makes good on promise to ensure our streets are made safer
March 16, 2010 - Obama’s livability programs help rural America too
March 16, 2010 - Transit grants out the federal door, but what about the cuts?
March 8, 2010 - Transit riders in Atlanta face massive cuts, “wholesale restructuring” of service
March 5, 2010 - Opposition to Senate extension results in looming shutdown of federal transportation programs
February 26, 2010
- U.S. Transportation Department makes good on promise to ensure our streets are made safer
The United States of Transit Cutbacks
Driving is down and transit ridership is at record highs. Yet transit agencies across the country are considering layoffs, service cuts and fare hikes. Find out more and learn what you can do to help at t4america.org/transitcuts
Transportation: In your eyes
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